Education 1/10/13

As we enter into the First Regular Session of the 97^th General Assembly, some of the most important issues facing us are how we will continue to provide appropriate levels of funding for our schools, properly evaluate teacher performance to make sure our children are receiving the best possible education our tax dollars can provide, placing more emphasis on local control, and encouraging parental involvement.

As I am sure you are aware, last year’s budget request from our Governor called for over $100 million in cuts to higher education. Your Republican majority rejected this cut. Making it more difficult to get an education and/or reducing the quality of education we can provide makes no sense at any time - especially when we are trying to bring high quality, high paying jobs to Missouri and provide an educated workforce to fill those positions. I can assure you, any attempt by our Governor to reduce funding for education in order to pay for his attempts to expand entitlement programs will be thwarted. We need good paying jobs and the knowledge provided by education to fill these positions.

In lockstep with providing a proper education is making sure we have quality teachers able to produce results in the classroom regardless of the obstacles they must overcome. We all know education is the key to a brighter future and taking steps to ensure quality teachers are in our classrooms is a must in the coming months.

Another aspect of improving our education system is enhancing local control within our communities. With such diversity throughout Missouri communities, a single set of educational guidelines will likely not address the needs of every community in Missouri. Increasing local control will help solve this issue and provide educational standards appropriate for the needs of your community.

As always, one of the keys to a child’s educational success is parental involvement. The lack of parental involvement has increasingly become a problem and indeed is a hindrance to our children receiving the best possible education our schools can offer. We must take responsibility as parents to ensure our children are engaged in schoolwork. Just dropping them off at school does not ensure they are learning. We are resolved to find ways to help encourage parental involvement to assist our schools in providing the education our children need.

Opening Day Vlog

Energy 1/10/13

Energy policy is often debated in legislatures nationwide and ours is no different. Though we typically identify its impact as to having a direct effect on the cost to us to flip on the light switch at home – energy policy is much more than that. Energy costs are some of the largest for companies who grow, manufacture, deliver, and sell the public its commodities and other goods. Poor energy policy won’t just make your electric bill go up, it will make the cost of your milk, eggs, diapers, cars – you name it – go up.

Here in Missouri, we depend on coal. It produces most of the energy we have and use. While the EPA and democrats in D.C. have been struggling to find ways to make you pay more for anything and everything you buy with their destructive energy policy, your Missouri House has a different agenda.

Over the next several months, we will work towards policies that stand against threats to coal, enhance our ability to be competitive in the Small Modular Nuclear Reactor market (more to come on this), and stand up for your wallet.

Economic Development 1/10/13

There is one thing many in Jefferson City can agree on and that is better jobs mean better quality of life. This interim I’ve visited with countless constituents and other legislators about their thoughts on what we can do to improve Missouri’s economic position because it’s time our unemployment rate was the lowest in the nation and not just average. Here’s a sample of what has been mentioned:

Restore Medical Malpractice Protections

There is no denying it, physicians practice where they can afford to do so. With malpractice insurance premiums rising some 25%, we are bound to lose physician jobs to places that protect doctors like Kansas. Our citizens on the border in places like Kansas City, St. Joseph, and Joplin need quality physicians to provide critical care. Look to the legislature to protect physicians from frivolous lawsuits so more Missourians will have real access to the best care possible.

Tax Credits

Debate on this issue will continue this year. Certain programs cost too much and provide little return. Others, like those for data centers and angel investing have high rates of return to the state and have vast, positive impact on local economies. Our strategy here will be multi-faceted: cut, cap, and create. We'll cut programs that don't work, cap programs to provide stability to the state's budget, and create an stronger economic environment as a result.

Paycheck Protection & Right to Work

You shouldn’t be forced to pay for a political advertisement or lobbying you don’t agree with. Along those same lines, if you want to work you shouldn’t be forced to join a union. If given the choice between a right to work state and one that has forced unionism, employers go to right to work.
 

Transportation
 

Transportation is the lifeblood of any strong economy. It's why many of your largest cities are built near rivers, ports to sea, or have a highway that connects them to one of those two. Missouri is centrally located in the country, which is why we have a strong trucking industry that provides thousands of jobs, benefits, and healthcare to our citizens. Your legislature will be looking at ways to invest in our transportation infrastructure to ensure its continued ability to transport our people, our goods, and our visitors in an efficient manner.